1. Trigger Trick - Disappearing Act
2. A Look at Plot Twists
3. Map Design Article(s)
i) Undegrowth and Overgrowth
ii) Shaken, not Stirred
4. Archive Notice

1. Disappearing Act

A common tool of the Trigger has next to limiteless possiilities. One of the possibilities
is written here. This is another RPG element, but I think someone creative enough could create
another use for it...

TRIGGER I
Start State - ON
Objective - NO
Looping -NO

(Scene: The players' main unit is in an empty field. the view changes to see a Cavalier on
a hill just ahead.)

Condition: Timer - 3
Effect: display Instructions: Cavalier: "You thought you could defeat me? Ha ha ha! Prepare
to die!"

Activate Trigger 2

TRIGGER II
Start State - OFF
Objective - NO
Looping -NO

Condition: Timer- 11
Effect - Change View - player 1 - back to the character
Effect - Display instructions: [Name]: "No... I can defeat you!"
Effect - Activate Trigger 3

TRIGGER III
Start State - OFF
Objective - NO
Looping -NO
Condition Timer 10
Effect: Display Instructions: Cavalier: "Ha ha ha! But where am I?"
Effect - Remove object Cavalier
Effect - Create Object Cavalier (behing the player)
Effect - Task object - Cavalier to player
Effect - Activate Trigger 4

TRIGGER IV
Start State - OFF
Objective - NO
Looping -NO
Condition - Objects in area - Cavalier - beside the player
Effect - remove object Cavalier
Effect - Create Object - Cavalier (beside the player)
Effect - Task object - Cavalier to player.

Etc. Continue this with the enemy cavalier disappearing as he reaches the player and have
the Cavalier occassionally laugh and have the player (maybe) say:

Effect - Display Instructions: [Name]: Am -- am I going crazy? What's... happening? What's
happening... to me?
Etc.

2. A Look at Plot Twists

When most AoKH Forummers think of good stories, the first scenarios/campaigns that
pop into their heads are Shadows' "Shadowmind", "The Swallowed Realm" and TDS' "The Nexus".
Why? Because the stories have so many plot twists, and Shadows sometimes even describes the
characters as though it (the scenario) were a book. The plot twists in scenario stories
should be important and creative ones. Not just changing sides. Maybe the character discovers
something about themselves or another person. Maybe they eventually join the "enemy" because
of that. But whatever the plot twist, it should make them WANT the character to succeed, good
or evil.

3. This issue's Map Design Article(s)

i) Undergrowth and Overgrowth
When creating a forest, trees, flowers and bushes aren't the only things that exist.
Using a variety of jungle trees, you can create overgrowth or undergrowth in ANY scenario.
Start with your basic forest. Fungus Road, Broken Road, Flowers, Trees, bamboo and forage
bushes. Now add the jungle trees. Place them between the other forest trees so they are
semi-visible. FIGURE I shows a sample of this. You can also see last issue's Trees on the
Rocks used here. See FIGURE II for another sample.

[JPEG, (209KB)]

(BELOW FIGURE I)
FIGURE I: Use of jungle trees here has created the effect of an overgrown swamp.

[JPEG, (179KB)]

(BELOW FIGURE II)
FIGURE II: Use of fewer jungle trees has created the look of undergrowth in this forest.

ii) Shaken, not Stirred
Always a good thing to add into your scenarios is water. Placing it where you want
is up to you of course, but let me advise you on laying it out. Water isn't just lines in
an order of Shallow, Medium and Deep. It should be mixed up. Commonly, it looks fairly
nice to have Medium Water by your shorline. Actually, try designing a lake or river with
only Medium Water, then in the middle (not very far off the shorline) create "batches" of
Deep and Shallow Water. Don't forget to add some Shallow Water along the shoreline as well.
Then, add Shallows in the center, also in "batches". Now add your fish, and then outside
your body of water, other GAIA objects and eye-candy. FIGURE III shows a sample.

[JPEG, (112KB)]

(BELOW FIGURE III)
FIGURE III: the water has the look of a small lake at different depths.

All of the above Figures are from my current Campaign, The Fellowship of the Ring Book I.

4. Archive Notice
All of Ultima_Knight's Scenario Design Magazine Issues can be viewed at:
UKSDM

Thanks!

-Ultima_Knight

[This message has been edited by M Sadai (edited 10-11-2001 @ 07:28 PM).]